VIDEO, PICS: Police arrest three after search for Woodberry stabbing suspect at Cessnock

DAN PROUDMAN25 Jun 2014, 6:30 p.m.

AN accused knife attacker and stand-over man was in custody last night after a massive police operation which ended up with the suspect being meekly arrested hiding inside a room of an East Cessnock home.

IN HIDING: Police officers apprehend three people they had been searching for in East Cessnock yesterday. Pictures: Peter Stoop

VIDEO, PICS: Police arrest three after search for Woodberry stabbing suspect at Cessnock

AN accused knife attacker and stand-over man was in custody last night after a massive police operation which ended up with the suspect being meekly arrested hiding inside a room of an East Cessnock home.

Teams of police converged on the Coalfields town yesterday morning after reports that a car which had crashed in a suburban street had been stolen during a Raymond Terrace home invasion the previous evening.

A 43-year-old man, who was already being hunted by detectives for questioning over the stabbing of a man at Woodberry on Tuesday morning, had also become the prime suspect in the Raymond Terrace home invasion.

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Police allege the two occupants were stood over and threatened by two men and a woman before items were stolen, as well as the car.

The Holden Commodore was filled up at Heatherbrae and was not seen again until the crash on Old Maitland Road at Cessnock about 11am.

Two men and a woman were seen to run from the scene and a spear gun, similar to one stolen during the home invasion, was found inside the abandoned car.

Several blocks throughout East Cessnock, including the local primary school, were placed in lock-down as police cordoned off the scene and began searching for the suspects.

A police helicopter was brought in from a search at Port Stephens to assist detectives and uniformed officers.

A police dog was also used to search backyards and underneath houses before officers zeroed in on one house.

The main suspect was found in one room while a 20-year-old man and 23-year-old woman were found in different rooms in the house.

Police said the occupants did not know they had three intruders hiding inside their home.